How upcoming storm will impact drought

Each day it doesn’t rain or snow in California, the current drought gets worse. Last month, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency for the state.

In just one week, California went from 60 percent of the state experiencing an extreme drought to 68 percent — almost a ten percent jump.

The Coachella Valley is experiencing a severe drought.

On average, the Valley sees about two inches of rain between January 1 and late February. Last year, the Valley saw just under an inch. So far in 2014, the area has seen no rain or snow.

However, that could soon change. Southern California is gearing up for its first major winter storm of the season.

But will it deliver the rain and snow we need?

The Coachella Valley needs between five and ten inches of rain to be considered out of a drought. Some coastal areas need 20 inches of rain to end their drought.

These amounts are so drastic that the chances of them actually happening are 1-in-1000.